Tips for Choosing the Right Orthodontics Courses
State requirements vary as to the specific number of continuing education credit hours dentists must maintain each year. Common topics for these seminars include infection control, sedation dentistry, and ethics and law. One thing is clear: Continuing education is vital for adapting to industry changes and ensuring dental career growth.
Selecting the right orthodontics courses for your office is crucial for getting the most out of your investment of time and resources. One of the most beneficial courses you can elect to take is an orthodontics course for general dentists.
Tips for Choosing the Right Orthodontics Courses
Orthodontics courses not only foster professional development, but they also allow you to increase your practice’s income by acting on what you’ve learned. Follow these 7 tips to select the right orthodontics course for your practice:
1. Assess your career goals and interests.
Before committing to any continuing education course, consider how it fits your future plans. It can be tempting to choose what appears to be the easiest course to finish the required learning hours, but you can maximize your investment by selecting a course that aligns with your career goals as well.
A general dentist orthodontic course boosts your understanding of a different aspect of the field. It will help you provide better patient care, even if you don’t begin offering orthodontic treatment immediately. It also creates more opportunities when you want to increase revenue and bring in more patients.
2. Research the course curriculum and learning outcomes.
Accredited orthodontic courses may offer a similar curriculum. However, it’s crucial to understand the specific offerings and verify that a course covers the topics and skills you need to grow your career.
Identifying the learning outcomes will manage your expectations. Before starting the course, you’ll have a clear picture of what skills you’ll gain and can develop a plan for implementing them into practice.
3. Consider the course’s accreditation and recognition.
Before you decide to take any dental CE course, ensure its value by confirming whether it’s professionally recognized. An accredited class means that the class meets all necessary standards, rules, and guidelines.
Look for orthodontic courses approved under the American Dental Association’s Continuing Education Recognition Program (ADA CERP) or the Academy of General Dentistry’s Program Approval for Continuing Education (AGD PACE). Organizations with either of these accreditations meet all standards and criteria designated by those respective entities.
This recognition ensures your participation in the course will count toward your state dental board CE requirements.
4. Evaluate the instructor’s experience and expertise.
When selecting a CE course, looking at the instructors’ backgrounds is important. Lecturers with relevant experience in orthodontics are more capable of answering questions and providing valuable insights about how to incorporate orthodontics into a general dental practice.
Instructor credentials are often listed in the course information, giving you insight into their expertise. You’ll see where they received their education as well.
5. Look for hands-on learning opportunities.
While fully online orthodontic courses can provide useful theoretical information, nothing is as valuable as practical, hands-on experience. Live practice gives you chances to learn from your mistakes and improve. You have direct access to an instructor who can answer your questions and correct problems with your technique.
Hands-on orthodontic courses allow you to become familiar with the treatment process from the start. You’ll be far more confident in your skills when providing orthodontic treatment in your office.
6. Check for post-course support and resources.
Another important factor to consider when signing up for a class is whether the instructors offer ongoing support after completion. When many online CE courses end, you lose connection to the instructor and related support systems. Others, however, provide ongoing resources and networking opportunities by offering follow-up sessions or open communication.
This continuous support is key to successfully incorporating your new orthodontic skills into your practice. You encounter a lot of information during these sessions. An open connection with the CE provider afterward, even for a limited time, gives you the answers needed to keep your practice growing.
7. Read reviews from past participants.
Many CE courses use feedback from previous students as a marketing tool for future events. This feedback can help you gauge the course’s potential effectiveness and probable impact on your career.
These reviews may also answer some of your questions about the material or instructors. With firsthand information from other students, you can better understand whether a specific course can help you meet your goals.
Grow your career with orthodontic continuing education.
If you’re interested in orthodontics as a general practitioner, use these tips to help you make an informed decision that aligns with your career aspirations and practice needs.
Start your search by considering Williams GP Orthodontic Seminars. Dr. Brad Williams is a general dentist who has been practicing orthodontics since 1983. Contact Dr. Brad to learn more about orthodontic CE courses today!
